CARING FORTHE EYES OF TEXAS

World Braille Day 2019

Each year during the month of January we recognize World Braille Day which gives us the opportunity to take a moment and appreciate the incredible gift that Braille has given to those who are blind or suffer from vision loss.

What is Braille?

Braille is a tactile representation of letters and numbers that can be utilized by people with vision loss to read using their fingers. The system uses combinations of six raised dots – three rows of two – that serve to represent the numbers, letters and even symbols such as music notes.

Braille History:

Braille was developed by a young Frenchman named Louis Braille and was first published in 1829. Braille invented the system at the age of 15 after he became blind as the result of an accident. The idea was originally based on night writing, a touch-based military code developed for Napoleon’s army by Charles Barbier as a strategy for soldiers to be able to communicate silently in the dark. Barbier’s code was ultimately rejected because it was too difficult to be used effectively by the soldiers. Barbier and Braille later met at the Royal Institute for the Blind in Paris and Braille was able to adapt the idea into a more functional system. In braille, the characters, or letters, are each represented by a cell or block with a particular arrangement of raised dots.

Not Just the ABC’s

While first developed for the French alphabet, braille has since been expanded for many languages including all the European-based languages, as well as Arabic and Asian languages. Even within those languages there are different forms of the system. For example, in English, there is Grade 1 braille which is composed of the representation of the 26 letters of the Roman alphabet and is primarily used for those learning to read and write the language. Grade 2 on the other hand is the type of braille you are likely to see written in public places such as menus or signs as it is more complex. Grade 2 includes higher level punctuation, abbreviations and contractions. Lastly, Grade 3 is a form of shorthand designed for personal use such as taking notes or writing letters.

In addition to the cells which represent the letters, braille may also include illustrations, graphs and symbols such as bullets or arrows. Further, a cell can also represent a number, a word or a punctuation mark. Because braille takes up more space than standard print there are many abbreviations or contractions that represent words or word sequences to save space. This also helps to improve the speed at which one can read and write using the system.

How To Write Braille

Writing braille requires some tools. To do it by hand you need a stylus, which is a metal tool that is used to create the dots, a slate, which is a type of stencil used to align the dots into neat cells and card-stock paper which is heavy enough to emboss. You can also write braille with a special braille typewriter or an electronic brailler as well as certain computer programs with a braille embosser printer.

Being able to read and write braille allows those with vision impairment to learn and express themselves in a way that they would otherwise not be able to. While newer technologies such as screen readers and other computer based programs have become more common in recent years, braille is the foundation of innovation in improving the lives of the blind and vision impaired.

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Dr. Pham and his staff were amazing. I have never had any eye exam that was this thorough. I have definitely found my optometrist!! Dr. Pham took the time to ask many question, and he seemed like he genuinely cared. I did not feel rushed or as if I was just another patient. I had so many different test done with equipment that I had never been tested with. His office was so nice and everything including the equipment was brand spanking new. After the doctor finished all his testing, his staff took their time to help me find the perfect pair of glasses. They also explained all my options for contacts. I ended up getting both and even went back for a pair of sunglasses. He had so many designer brand name frames to choose from. I have never had this type of experience with any other eye doctor. I can honestly say I do not have one bad thing to say about Dr. Pham or his staff. I will be a patient for life!- Crystal M.

I've had many eye exams before but never have I had such a thorough exam like the one here at TSO Kingwood. Dr. Pham now sees my whole family for all their eye care needs, even all the way from Austin! He has up to date trendy frames brand names and much more. I'm sure you will find one that will fit you perfectly. The staff helped me with my insurance, made sure I knew what it covers and helped me pick out the right frames. After I received my glasses they even called me to see how well it fits and how I'm doing! I can't ask for a better place for eye care!- Lauren L.

Great doctor!!! I would highly recommend anyone to this location, the doctor is very knowledgeable and will answer any questions you may have. He also took his time out to see my kids without trying to rush us out of the office at closing time. My family loves seeing Dr. Pham, he is one of the best doctors I've been to so far! And the staff is just so friendly and great to us. Nice frames and a nice Texas State Optical to be at!!!- Jennifer W.

Dr. Pham and staff are all awesome!!!- Christina N.

So Friendly, very professional and helpful staff, very nice facility. I could of not asked for a better experience in any business or medical facility. Thank you very much and I will refer everyone to you.- Debbie L.

I needed to get my eyes checked for a long time but I felt uncomfortable going to just any eye doctor. I noticed they jist opened and figured I would give it a try because of the TSO name. When I went in I was amazed the store was GORGEOUS and the Dr was awesome!!! They say me right away and he was very thorough and assured me about my eye health and what to look for in the future.. I was so happy I went in and will go back in the future !!- Georgette E.